Quick Compare: Featured Gaming Laptops

The 17.3" FX73VE Notebook from Asus is a powerful system equipped with the hardware for efficiently multitasking, handling everyday tasks, and playing graphically demanding games. Specs-wise, it's equipped with a 2.8 GHz Intel Core i7-7700HQ quad-core processor, 8GB of DDR4 RAM, and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti graphics card with 4GB of GDDR5 VRAM. For storage, it has a 1TB 7200 rpm hard drive, which is ideal for storing large format files. It's 17.3" display has a 1920 x 1080 resolution for crisp and clear Full HD content playback, and it has HDMI and DisplayPort outputs you can use to connect an external display for larger viewing and enhanced multitasking. Other integrated features include 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, a webcam, a microphone, speakers, a USB Type-C port, a SuperMulti DVD drive, and an SD media card reader. The operating system installed is Windows 10 Home (64-Bit).

Windows 10

Start Menu

After its hiatus in Windows 8, the Start Menu has returned. Utilizing a combination of the traditional menu system and Windows 8's Live Tiles, the improved Start Menu gives you more information at a glance, showing notification information alongside your applications and other pinned items.

Cortana

Microsoft's digital personal assistant, Cortana can answer your questions with information gleaned from both your device and the internet at large. You can type or even talk with her, if your system has a microphone. Using her Notebook, Cortana keeps track of your needs and wants, and she learns over time to improve her information gathering skills.

Microsoft Edge

After nearly 20 years, Microsoft has finally replaced its Internet Explorer web browser. With Microsoft Edge, users can write directly on web pages and share notes with friends and colleagues. It also improves the online reading experience by adding a distraction-free mode and read-it-later functionality. Edge also has built-in Cortana integration; you can have her help you find a restaurant, make a reservation, and pull up directions without leaving your browser.

Windows Store

For Windows 10, Microsoft has unified the Windows Store. Now, apps for PCs, tablets, and phones will all be accessible from one place. And with support for Universal Apps, one version of an app can work across all your compatible devices automatically.

Windows Continuum

Windows 10 was designed for a variety of screen sizes and input styles, and with its Continuum feature, it automatically adapts to fit your needs. A Windows 10 tablet on its own requires a touch-centric approach, but attaching a mouse and keyboard will shift everything to a more traditional interface. You can even attach an external monitor to your Windows 10 phone for a near-desktop experience. But it's not just the operating system; Windows Universal Apps take advantage of Continuum as well.

Xbox on Windows 10

Gaming is a big focus of Windows 10. Xbox integration allows for PC players to match up against Xbox One players on supported games, and if you have an Xbox One, you can even stream compatible titles to your PC. Native support for recording with the new Game DVR feature makes it easy to capture and share your gameplay. The new DirectX12 takes better advantage of multi-core processors, giving games a performance boost, even on older hardware. Windows 10 also features native support for virtual reality headsets, such as the Oculus Rift.